]]>A story written by Leslie Beck in the Globe and Mail newspaper this week caught my attention. It’s about kids drinking plant-based milk over dairy milk. A big topic for many parents.

First of all, I’ll say that in my experience, goat’s milk is better tolerated than cow’s milk because of the protein structure. Cow’s milk comes from large animals with large protein structure.

Milk offers protein, fat, and nutrients like vitamin A, D, B, zinc, and calcium – all important nutrients – but there are more that are needed for all the growth and development at a young age.

I see a lot of kids who can’t tolerate or just won’t drink milk, so parents have to find alternatives. Most will eat cheese and yogurt, so that’s a much better option. If they can’t tolerate dairy altogether, a more specific diet needs to be created. Full fat cheese and yogurt (unflavoured) still have the naturally occurring fat-soluble vitamins and fat for better absorption of vitamin D and K (if organic or grass-fed).

Other calcium-rich options are sardines or salmon with bones, cooked bok choi, almonds, sesame seeds, cooked kale or broccoli. To lesser amounts than a glass of milk but a healthier option with other minerals and vitamins, fibre and antioxidants.

Plant-based milk like almond, cashew, coconut or rice offer about 2g of protein versus 16g from the same amount of milk. Hemp milk offers more at 6g per two cups.

Overall calories are less in plant-based milk too. Lower fat has a lot to do with this and which milk is chosen, homemade versus store bought also plays a part. There’s a recipe in my book Sprout Right for making homemade almond milk that’s really easy. Cashew milk is even easier because it doesn’t need straining.

While milk is thought to be very important from age two to eight, there certainly are other options to ensure that all protein, fat and nutrient needs are met with broader health benefits.

]]>http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/plant-milk-versus-dairy-milk/feed/0http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/plant-milk-versus-dairy-milk/What’s a safe and clean formula milk for your baby?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SproutRight/~3/4shcse2SZLE/
http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/safe-clean-formula-milk-baby/#respondWed, 01 Nov 2017 22:29:41 +0000http://www.sproutright.com/blog/?p=2391This is not a headline that any new parent wants to read: “80% of infant formula contains arsenic, study finds”. With byline of: “One third of baby food products tested also contained lead”. It’s enough to read if your baby is drinking formula milk that it likely contains arsenic, but then all the other baby […]

It’s enough to read if your baby is drinking formula milk that it likely contains arsenic, but then all the other baby products too. And lead? Sheesh. There have been concerns of arsenic in baby formula in the past, and all baby products containing rice, but not lead. Products that you’d think safe and trustworthy seem to have fallen to the low end of the safe list according to this article. That makes shopping for healthy products for your baby that much more difficult. If there’s something positive to come out of this, it might be that you go back to the kitchen to make your own food.

Choosing a formula milk and finding one that works for your baby can be a difficult task. When parents reach out to me after reading the formula feeding chapter in my book, I’m always asked about my preference or which one I recommend. I do have a couple of favourites, yes. I also know that what works for one baby, may not work for another. I do suggest organic, that’s a no-brainer. Lessening toxins going into the animal and then ending up in anything that we eat is a good thing, in my opinion.

When I wrote my book, I had a long interview with the owner of Baby’s Own Organic. He shared with me some very interesting information that opened my eyes further to the production and sale of all formula. I was most amazed by how many brands were from the same manufacturer and various companies put their own label on them. Brands that stood out were Similac, which doesn’t contain palm olein oil (which can cause constipation) and is made by their own manufacturer, and Kirkland, Costco’s own brand which was made for them and not for any other company. Back then, the PC Organic formula and My Organic Baby ($10 more expensive), were exactly the same product. As was Walmart’s and Shopper’s Drug Mart’s own label. If I were a parent buying those products, I’d feel pretty duped. Thinking that I’m buying a superior brand when they’re all the same is misleading. When I researched all of the formulas for the formula chapter in my book, I started to see the same ingredients, nutrients and fats in many, so I knew that there were more that were the same. I’m about to embark on updating Sprout Right, so I will once again research the newer formulas both in Canada and the US.

I’ve always preferred the goat’s milk formula option as it has worked so well for babies who are sensitive or have skin rashes, digestive issues like diarrhea, constipation, blood in their poo or diaper or even gassiness and frequent infections. For years I’ve recommended Nanny Care Goat Milk Formula from New Zealand. More recently, the Holle brand from Germany has become another favourite. Both are more pricey options. There’s another brand mentioned mentioned in my book as a safe one that’s cheaper, however I’m not so keen on the ingredients.

The top of the safe list included a formula milk that I wrote about in my book, and my recommendation still stands. Baby’s Only Organic by Nature’s One is one to feel good about. It’s organic and is sweetened with brown rice syrup, a lower glycemic index (slower releasing) sweetener that’s preferable to sucrose, glucose or corn syrup. I learned about the thought and reasons why it contains what it does and it’s one that many, many of my clients’ babies have thrived on.

]]>http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/safe-clean-formula-milk-baby/feed/0http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/safe-clean-formula-milk-baby/Blast Past the Weight Loss Plateauhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SproutRight/~3/9fxmyIFkaF8/
http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/blast-past-weight-loss-plateau/#commentsThu, 05 Oct 2017 01:32:10 +0000http://www.sproutright.com/blog/?p=2388Weight loss feels great when the numbers are heading consistently towards your goal. The scale going the wrong way can be disheartening and the scale not moving from week to week is downright frustrating. When you’re stuck and can’t seem to get past the plateau, here are some tips to try and get you moving […]

]]>Weight loss feels great when the numbers are heading consistently towards your goal. The scale going the wrong way can be disheartening and the scale not moving from week to week is downright frustrating. When you’re stuck and can’t seem to get past the plateau, here are some tips to try and get you moving towards your goal.

Time to eat less

It’s not all about the calories going in, but if you’re eating the same portion size or calories as when you first started on your weight loss journey, it’s time to leave some food on your plate. After you start to lose weight, your body adjusts yet again, requiring fewer calories than it did before. Remember, what goes into your mouth has the strongest link to weight loss. It’s easier to leave the two oreos on the plate or in the package than climb 21 flights of stairs to burn them off.

Up your fibre

Shoot for eating 30g of fibre a day. Here’s a link to tally up what’s on your plate or make up a meal with fibre in mind. A study found that for every gram of fiber consumed, you can eliminate seven calories from your diet later that day. That means if you hit the 30-gram mark, you could cancel out 210 calories a day. That’ll lead to more than 16 pound loss over a year! Try berries instead of cookies and barley instead of white rice.

Change up the caffeine

Before you groan about ditching your caffeine fix, green tea still contains a good level of caffeine to get your energy hit. However, green tea has the added benefit of fat-blasting compounds called cathecins. They help you lose belly fat by revving up your metabolism and speed up the liver’s fat burning ability. Drink 4 to 5 cups a day.

Sleep more, not less

Are you closer to a 6-hour-a night-er than an 8-hour-er? Getting less than 6 hours of sleep a night can reduce fat loss by 55% compared to those who get the gold standard 8. Sleeping less can also lead to more hunger, unbalanced blood sugar and hormone imbalance.

Work it

Either you’re not doing enough exercise, or you need to change it up. Increasing your heart rate for someone who isn’t exercising at all (as in Jerry), could get things moving. If you’re already exercising, try some interval training for faster fat burning. Warm up at an easy pace for 5 minutes. Then run at very high intensity for 1 minute and recover by running very easily for 4 minutes. Repeat five times. Increasing your muscle mass by weight or resistance training increases the breakdown and rebuild of your muscles. It’s actually a good thing, because it promotes insulin sensitivity and weight loss.

Mindful socializing and eating out

You’ve got to live, see friends, socialize and who wants to go out and say no to everything? Minimizing food or drink when out is really the best way to go. One or two less glasses of wine, beer or spirit, means less time spent working it off. Having one or two appetizers instead of five also works to your favour. If you end up having a binge night, get right back at it the next day. And no fry up for your hangover.

Go beyond the scale

Are your clothes fitting better or loose? Just because the scale doesn’t back up your clothes, remember that you can be losing inches rather than pounds depending on your activity. If you’re feeling more energetic, your skin is more radiant and there’s a balance of mood and feeling throughout your day, that’s a massive win.

Work your way through the above and let us know what had the biggest impact for you.

]]>http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/blast-past-weight-loss-plateau/feed/1http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/blast-past-weight-loss-plateau/Fermenting Series Week 3 – Kefirhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SproutRight/~3/Bz8yDW_dDkQ/
http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/fermenting-series-week-3-kefir/#respondTue, 03 Oct 2017 23:10:07 +0000http://www.sproutright.com/blog/?p=2384Kefir (proununced ke-fear) is a new-ish product found in the supermarket chiller cabinet near yogurt and other dairy products. It has been tucked in with butter and yogurt at most health food stores for years and actually dates to 1885 in Russia, way before refrigeration. Adding kefir grains to milk is what produces kefir. The […]

]]>Kefir (proununced ke-fear) is a new-ish product found in the supermarket chiller cabinet near yogurt and other dairy products. It has been tucked in with butter and yogurt at most health food stores for years and actually dates to 1885 in Russia, way before refrigeration.

Adding kefir grains to milk is what produces kefir. The grains are composed of lactic acid bacteria, yeast and polysaccharides. The grains culture the milk, infusing it with healthy organisms or probiotics. The result is a tangy, slightly effervescent drink similar to yogurt. Kefir “grains” have nothing to do with grain, and typically look like small pieces of cauliflower and vary in size from a grain of rice to an almond.

Kefir has many benefits over and above drinking a glass of the white stuff (and eating yogurt):

Keeps longer than fresh milk

Offers beneficial bacteria that boosts the immune system

Helps to fight off bad bacteria like E. coli, campylobacter, listeria and parasites

Restores beneficial bacteria in the gut after antibiotic use

Excellent source of protein

Tolerated by those who are lactose intolerant as the culture uses up the lactose in the milk

Good source of B vitamins

Contains certain healthy bacteria not available in yogurt that prevent growth of harmful bacteria in the intestines

Vitamin K and B12 production are aided by the beneficial bacteria found in kefir

I’ve been making kefir ever since a fellow nutritionist passed me some of her extra grains. As with kombucha, every time I make it, my grains replicate and grow. I’m quite proud of my largest grain and how it has grown!

Most store-bought kefir yields the same benefits as above, but may ferment for shorter periods of time, leaving it slightly less potent in the good guys. Even if you are lactose intolerant, trying store-bought may still have similar effects as drinking milk. I ferment mine for 24 hours and then use it in my smoothies. My daughters aren’t up for drinking a glass, but I know people that do. I need to find new ways to give it to them.

How to Make Your Own:

Put milk in a large mouth glass jar. If cold let sit until it reaches room temperature (or put in a saucepan with simmering water as with yogurt).

Add grains or powder, stir well and cover with a cloth. Leave in a warm area for about 24 hours, stirring every six hours or so. Taste occasionally over the 24 hours and strain when the taste is to your liking.

Pour kefir through a strainer into another jar to gather the grains before storing in the fridge for up to a week. Rinse the grains gently and store in a jar with 1/2 cup milk or water.

]]>http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/fermenting-series-week-3-kefir/feed/0http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/fermenting-series-week-3-kefir/Fermenting Series Week 2 – Yogurthttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SproutRight/~3/NcHHqLAKrrk/
http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/fermenting-series-week-2-yogurt/#respondTue, 26 Sep 2017 18:04:55 +0000http://www.sproutright.com/blog/?p=2382Can you guess what the most-consumed fermented food is? Yogurt. Fermented from milk and live bacterial culture (like the probiotic acidophilus), yogurt is well tolerated by those sensitive to most dairy products, especially lactose. Lactose is used or eaten up by the bacteria as it proliferates and turns to yogurt. As you cruise the dairy […]

Fermented from milk and live bacterial culture (like the probiotic acidophilus), yogurt is well tolerated by those sensitive to most dairy products, especially lactose. Lactose is used or eaten up by the bacteria as it proliferates and turns to yogurt.

As you cruise the dairy aisle at the supermarket, there is some stiff competition out there to make it from the shelf to your cart. Many different types of yogurt including low fat and no-fat, Greek, creamy, drinking, bio-yogurt, organic, baby and frozen can add to the overall confusion of which is best to buy and how the family will like it.

Some yogurts tout their health benefits better than others. When I read the ingredients of some brands, the list seems way too long for a product that is made from milk and bacteria. Colours, flavourings, sugar (glucose, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose and artificial sweeteners) and maybe some fruit on the bottom is most common. Most yogurts look fruity because of added colour, not actual fruit.

I remember years ago being asked to spread the word of a new yogurt on the market for babies. At the time I was doing weekly workshops at WholeFoods Market to jam-packed classrooms of moms and babies. I was the perfect person to help reach their marketing goals for launching this new product.

As I do with all products, I read the ingredient label. It contained sugar. I was shocked. A yogurt for babies with sugar in it? That is all kinds of wrong. I went back to the company and said that I’d love to share their new product with the loyal attendees of my class, and let them know that it has sugar in it (something I, in no uncertain terms, suggest to avoid for babies and toddlers). After a dialogue with their marketing manager, I found out that during taste tests, the babies preferred the product with sugar in it. Fair enough. They are a business and want sales at the end of the day, but I was so annoyed that a company couldn’t take the healthier road and not put sugar in their new product. From then on, I did continue to share what I had learned with my classes although the company withdrew their request for my help to market it. I wonder why!

Lately, I’ve started making my own. Why bother, you ask? Because that’s how I roll. I love showing my daughters how things are made and how to make healthy food. My nine year old has always hated yogurt. Frozen, sweetened or hidden. The first time I forced her to try mine (everyone must at least try around here), she didn’t make that face. She actually asked for more. And more. She now eats yogurt with homemade granola, a splash of maple syrup and frozen blueberries at least three times a week! If that’s not motivating, I don’t know what is.

Making your own yogurt may seem a bit much, but wow does it taste good. It’s so simple that it’s silly.

Here’s how:

Transfer 2L milk into a glass jar. Warm it in a saucepan and water until baby-bottle-warm temp. Once warm, add in 4 tablespoons of plain yogurt (without sugar). Put on the lid and shake for a few minutes until it’s well combined. Place in your oven with the light on for 16 – 24 hours. If you have a consistently warm spot you can use that too.

After the suggested time, stir it and either refrigerate in the jar or transfer the yogurt to a jam or jelly bag or fine sieve with a bowl under it. Let it sit for up to four hours to make Greek yogurt. We prefer it thicker, so I always strain it. I use the whey that drips down from the yogurt to add to soups or make sauerkraut.

]]>http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/fermenting-series-week-2-yogurt/feed/0http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/fermenting-series-week-2-yogurt/My Localhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SproutRight/~3/5LSLkH0Hseg/
http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/my-local/#respondThu, 21 Sep 2017 02:14:42 +0000http://www.sproutright.com/blog/?p=2366I’m not talking about my local bar or drinking hangout as I would be if I was still in England. My local is the place where I buy my food. Produce in particular. The Sweet Potato has been my local since it first opened on Dundas St W in The Junction. I bought produce from […]

I’m not talking about my local bar or drinking hangout as I would be if I was still in England. My local is the place where I buy my food. Produce in particular. The Sweet Potato has been my local since it first opened on Dundas St W in The Junction. I bought produce from the owner, Digs, way before that for my Mommy Chef cooking classes, when he started The High Park Market about two years before that.

This new store is 10,000 sq ft, growing from the 3300 sq ft location on Dundas. Products on shelves have grown by 40% and the on-site kitchen is going to be offering a massive variety of prepped, organic, healthy options for busy people and families.

There will be about 30 soups, both vegan and vegetarian options, sandwiches, quiches, pizza including offerings topped with kale, dips and spreads, pies, pastas and homemade sauces, and what I’m most excited about–curries! In their bakery case, there will be five varieties of cookies, sticky toffee pudding, cheese sticks, loaves, cakes and more.

Along with an impressive fish and meat counter, you’ll be able to dash in and grab a naturally raised without hormones or antibiotics, rotisserie chicken.

I was impressed to see their commitment to waste management and they have an Orca system in place. With all the food that they will be preparing, the waste will fill just one green bin a week. The Orca system is like a new and much improved massive garburator.

The new location at 108 Vine Ave officially opens on Thursday September 20th and there will be some fun festivities happening on Sunday.

]]>http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/my-local/feed/0http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/my-local/Fermenting Series Week 1 – Kombucha Teahttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SproutRight/~3/nmz5ZA-aQi8/
http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/fermenting-series-week-1-kombucha-tea/#respondWed, 20 Sep 2017 21:16:22 +0000http://www.sproutright.com/blog/?p=2363What do you think of when you read “fermented food”? Beer? Food that tastes off or fizzy when it shouldn’t be? Fermenting food is an age-old practice used to preserve food when there were no fridges, freezers or ways to keep produce throughout seasons. In the early days (pre-1950s or so), getting milk from the […]

]]>What do you think of when you read “fermented food”? Beer? Food that tastes off or fizzy when it shouldn’t be?

Fermenting food is an age-old practice used to preserve food when there were no fridges, freezers or ways to keep produce throughout seasons. In the early days (pre-1950s or so), getting milk from the cow and having it sour over a week or more was normal. Making sauerkraut from the crops of cabbage with salt was as normal as us now opening a box and putting its contents in the oven. Maybe they knew or maybe they didn’t, but the benefits of fermented food far outweigh those of food that’s pasteurized or cooked. Here are a few that I know of:

Starts the digestion process, as in breaking down lactose in the case of kefir and yogurt.

Preserves food for longer. Fermented cabbage becomes sauerkraut, milk ferments to kefir, yogurt or cheese and cucumbers and other vegetables become pickles that keep longer than fresh.

It’s cheap! Fermenting food takes a bit of time, but honestly not much. Once you have the key fermenting tools, they don’t need replacing as they replenish themselves.

With all of the above, why aren’t we fermenting more? I think it’s time. It’s more convenient to go to the store and buy everything. The art of fermenting is slightly underground and my hope is that with this blog series, you’ll be able to dabble here and there, teach the kids what’s its all about and bring fermenting back to commonplace.

Your First Ferment – Kombucha Tea

Let’s start with tea. Fermented tea turns into Kombucha Tea. You might have seen this rather expensive bottle of fizzy drink in the chiller cabinet recently. There are more brands bottling it now, but as with all ferments, it’s super fun and easy to make at home.

You do need a starter kit for what’s called a SCOBY or symbiotic culture (or colony) of bacteria and yeast, starter tea, organic tea bags and sugar. Now, I’m not one to add sugar to anything so it was strange the first time I made this. The sugar is food or fuel for the SCOBY to grow and ferment the tea, so it’s virtually all gone by the time it’s done. I used organic black tea for my first batch, but have been assured that most tea can be used, except ones with natural oils in them. As well as a SCOBY, half a cup of starter tea, you’ll need:

2 organic tea bags
1/4 cup sugar
1 quart water

In a saucepan, bring one quart of water to the boil. Turn off heat and add in teabags and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon (not metal) and let sit until it cools. Transfer to a glass jar or bowl and add in SCOBY and previous Kombucha tea that it comes with.

Cover the jar or bowl with a tea towel or cheesecloth. I used a bowl, so I taped an X across the bowl so my cloth wouldn’t end up in my tea. Store somewhere warm (I put mine in my laundry room where the furnace is) for seven to 10 days. It might look like it’s going mouldy to start, but just leave it. It will grow another SCOBY during its fermentation stage. After seven days, have a small taste and see how it is. You can leave it longer – I left mine for 14 days.

Save up some jars, wine bottles and corks or old beer bottles with a flip top (like Grolsch). Remove the SCOBY, store in another jar with 1/2 cup tea (now becomes the starter tea for the next batch) and refrigerate for next time. Pour the rest into jars or bottles, leaving about 7cm from the top to allow for fermentation. Add in ginger slices and/or a splash of juice at this point, if you like. Put back to the warm place for three to four days to let it fizz. Then store in a fridge or cold cellar. Beware of the lid popping off when you first try it. There will be pressure from the last stage of fermenting.

If you’ve never tried it before, start with a bit and build up. It’s like taking probiotics for the first time, you might experience some gas.

]]>http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/fermenting-series-week-1-kombucha-tea/feed/0http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/fermenting-series-week-1-kombucha-tea/The Ketogenic or Keto Diethttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SproutRight/~3/xaX3vM24oZA/
http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/ketogenic-keto-diet/#respondFri, 15 Sep 2017 12:36:45 +0000http://www.sproutright.com/blog/?p=2360The Ketogenic diet – not to be confused with keto-acidosis, which is a dangerous condition experienced by diabetics, is a complete metabolic shift, switching the body over from using glucose and carbohydrates as an energy source to fats – either stored or from your diet. This metabolic shift that has your body burning fat, from […]

]]>The Ketogenic diet – not to be confused with keto-acidosis, which is a dangerous condition experienced by diabetics, is a complete metabolic shift, switching the body over from using glucose and carbohydrates as an energy source to fats – either stored or from your diet. This metabolic shift that has your body burning fat, from diet or stores, produces molecules known as ketones, which are used for fuel.

So basically, you’re changing the source of energy your body uses. This is essentially a high fat, moderate protein and low carbohydrate diet.

The body likes being fuelled by fat. Eating this way can lead to fewer cravings, energy and mood ups and downs, better brain function, hormone balance, some say better sleep and more.

There are certain people who should not be on keto. If you have liver disease, this is not for you. If you are diabetic you need to be under the supervision of a doctor, but keto can really help type 2 diabetics.

The long term effect of the keto diet on obese patients has been studied. It decreases LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and increases good cholesterol (HDL), lowers blood pressure, blood sugar and levels of insulin.

The diet differs from person to person a bit, but generally, for someone on a 2000calorie a day diet, you’d eat 5% carbs so about 100 calories, 15% protein, so 300 calories and 80% fat or 1600 calories. For most that would be the opposite to what they normally eat.

Testing for ketosis can happen with blood, breath or urine. Breath is quite reliable and blood the best. You do need a breath or blood meter to test which varies in cost.

This is a completely different way to eating to what most people eat. Do your homework and reach out for help before you jump on this bandwagon. There are tremendous health benefits, and you need to know some of the challenges as you embark on this.

]]>http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/ketogenic-keto-diet/feed/0http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/ketogenic-keto-diet/3 Tips to Get Your Nutrition Back On Track After “Enjoying” the Summerhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SproutRight/~3/PwgXszbZALo/
http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/3-tips-get-nutrition-back-track-enjoying-summer/#respondThu, 07 Sep 2017 18:21:39 +0000http://www.sproutright.com/blog/?p=2355I’ve seen the odd golden leaf on the ground and in the trees in the park behind my backyard. That can only mean one thing: fall is on the way. Although it’s only the beginning of September, there’s a shift to feeling like fall as soon as Labour Day weekend is over. Summertime is about […]

]]>I’ve seen the odd golden leaf on the ground and in the trees in the park behind my backyard. That can only mean one thing: fall is on the way. Although it’s only the beginning of September, there’s a shift to feeling like fall as soon as Labour Day weekend is over.

Summertime is about socializing, being outside with friends, drinks on the back deck or patio, barbecuing and not having a particular schedule and enjoying the lack of routine.

September does have an air of New Year’s about it, so why not max out on setting some goals and figuring out how you’re going to follow through?

Here are three tips to get you going:

Decide what it is that you want to improve on or change and keep it simple. If you were having a glass of wine or beer every day, maybe cut that back to once a week and the weekends. If your after work or school snack was bread and cheese or anything that’s not nailed down, take a piece of fruit in the car with you to eat on the way home so you’re not starving as you walk in the door. If you got into the carbs and afternoon sweet snack, have more protein at breakfast. It doesn’t need to be big, but you need to plan it.

Drink more water. No one ever drinks enough. It just doesn’t happen. Yesterday, I filled a jug with water and added in limes and lemons and drank it while I was at my desk. Not only did I have more focus but my lips weren’t dry, today my skin feels better and every time I had to get up from my desk and go to the loo was a break from sitting. Win-win all around.

Commit to 10-a-day. Eat more fruits and vegetables, no matter what is going on for you. It is the easiest way to crowd out the crappy foods, the best way to help your digestive system work as it’s meant to, the fastest way to glowing skin and a nourished body and the simplest way to avoid feeling deprived as you shed some of those summer pounds. If you need help, check out my Amp Up Your Plants Program. In 21 days of daily emails, you’ll have it licked and you’ll be feeling better than you thought possible!

Any time is a good time to change things up. So you might as well start now!

]]>http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/3-tips-get-nutrition-back-track-enjoying-summer/feed/0http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/3-tips-get-nutrition-back-track-enjoying-summer/Non-Eaten Lunchhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SproutRight/~3/3nMkVJLAFwk/
http://www.sproutright.com/blog/index.php/non-eaten-lunch/#respondWed, 06 Sep 2017 22:16:58 +0000http://www.sproutright.com/blog/?p=2349We are partway through the first week of school. How is packing those lunches going? Hopefully for now, great. In another few weeks, we may need to talk again. My kids make their own lunches, which I found helped when they kept bringing their lunch home uneaten. Now that my eldest is in high school, […]

]]>We are partway through the first week of school. How is packing those lunches going? Hopefully for now, great. In another few weeks, we may need to talk again.

My kids make their own lunches, which I found helped when they kept bringing their lunch home uneaten. Now that my eldest is in high school, I will see how that works out as they have a cafeteria and she has her own money. I’ll need to set some boundaries around that for sure!

For the younger kids, starting school and that whole new routine can be overwhelming. They don’t get much time to dine on their well-packed and thought-out lunch, and that can lead to worry and after-school meltdowns.

Here are 5 tips to encourage an empty lunch box:

Don’t overfill it. They only have so much time to eat and can be distracted by friends. Giving too much food can feel overwhelming and, depending on your child, can make them choose the easiest thing to eat. Not necessarily the healthiest.

Keep it simple. Protein is essential to balance out the carbs, so there must be some meat, cheese, pulses (lentils or beans – think hummus), quinoa (some kids like it), seeds or seed butter, eggs, or fish along with the bread or grains. Toothpick skewers are always a hit with a piece of cheese and fruit, like grape, pineapple or tomato.

Get them involved. They have a say in what goes into the lunchbox. If it wouldn’t get eaten at home, it’s likely not going to be eaten at school. Teach what makes a healthy and energy-packed lunch and discuss how they felt in the afternoon and after school after different meals. Write down options and let them have a say about what the next day’s lunch is. And even get help packing it!

Only send healthy foods. You aren’t there to reinforce that good foods should be eaten first, so if you see that the wee chocolate bar or other sweet treat is eaten but not the healthy portion of the lunch, then it goes. Plain and simple. Better yet, don’t send anything sweet and just pack fruits or veggies.

Supplement what’s missing. Sometimes deficiencies can show when a limited diet is eaten, so keep the essentials going on via a supplement. Probiotics are needed for the immune and digestive systems. A multinutrient supplement like PediatriVite or Children’s Chewables are both excellent options. If appetite seems to be diminishing, add in Bio Cell Salts (email to order) to give the 12 essential minerals that help boost appetite.

It can take months for some kids to find their groove at school. Supporting them with great food while they’re there and healthy snacks when they come home will keep their brains and bodies in tip-top shape for what’s to come.